The South Africa Act

A small quarto (160mmX250mm) book stapled in the original blue printed paper covers. 75 pages of text giving the constitution of the Union of South Africa, as passed by both houses of the Parliament of Great Britain and approved by his Majesty the King. The text consists of an English and a Dutch version, these being the official languages of the newly constituted Union of South Africa.

The South Africa Act 1909 was an Act of the British Parliament which created the Union of South Africa from the British colonies of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange River Colony, and Transvaal. The Act also made provisions for admitting Rhodesia as a fifth province of the Union in the future, but the Rhodesian colonists rejected this option in a referendum held in 1922. The South Africa Act was the third major piece of legislation passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom with the intent of uniting various British colonies and granting them some degree of autonomy. Earlier, the British North America Act of 1867 had united three colonies (Canada – which became Ontario and Quebec – Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick) and the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act,of 1900, had united the Australian colonies. The South Africa act followed upon the National Convention of 1908-1909 which was held by a meeting of representatives of the four Colonies, and the resolutions passed by it were forwarded to the Parliament of Great Britain for recommendation approval by His Majesty the King. The 31st May, 1910, was chosen as “Union Day” when the Act would come into effect and the Union of South Africa was formally proclaimed.